BLACK ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND RACIAL CAPITAL: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR BLACK BUSINESSES

Abstract

Different Black American entrepreneurs voice different reasons for starting a business. Often, they face obstacles to growing and scaling their successful ventures that can be traced to systemic inequalities. This mixed methodology research aims to explore the different reasons and motivations that Black people have for starting businesses. It also aims to understand the resources available to Black entrepreneurs that can be used for capital, counseling, and to access to markets. The research is important because entrepreneurship is touted as a pathway to self-sufficiency and wealth building and a way to ameliorate economic inequality between Blacks and non-blacks. But currently, little is known about differences within the population of Black business owners.